


adorn

by littlemsmessy



Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Oral Sex, Romance, Telepathy, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 22:18:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1112168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemsmessy/pseuds/littlemsmessy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ned gives Nancy a special gift for Valentine’s Day, and they both get a surprise.  Written for ndnickerson's birthday. </p>
<p>Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine - my name is littlemsmessy, not Carolyn Keene. If these were my characters, I'd be rich right now, and each of you would get a pony.</p>
<p>Notes:  This is an extremely belated one-shot Nancy/Ned fic that I wrote for ndnickerson’s birthday. Two of her requested prompts were sex (duh) and telepathy, so this combines both.  Happy Birthday, ndnickerson – you’re an amazing writer and an even better friend! :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	adorn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ndnickerson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/gifts).



The shade of lipstick is called _Noir._ Nancy had been amused when Bess had selected it for her based on name alone; now, as she critically studies her reflection in the mirror, she has to admit that it seems completely perfect for a night like tonight. The deep burgundy color complements her fair complexion and brings out the blue in her eyes and the red in her hair. When paired with the black halter dress that hugs her body in all of the right places – the deep v at the front sure to put a wicked gleam in Ned’s eye - and the sophisticated chignon Bess had created for her, she definitely feels like a _femme fatale_ from one of those movies straight out of the forties.

Nancy uses one fingertip to carefully place a few errant hairs at her temples back into a neat order. She normally tries to dress nicely for dates with Ned; since tonight is Valentine’s Day, she really wanted to go all out. Now that Ned was graduated from Emerson, this is the first Valentine’s Day in years that they’ve been able to spend together and he’d promised her something really special.

Glancing at her watch, Nancy turns away from the mirror, knowing that she has to get a move on – Ned’s due to arrive any minute, and she still has to place a few items into her overnight bag.

Nancy walks over to her dresser and pulls out the lingerie she’s purchased for later on, snipping off the tags before placing it into her suitcase. She’d teasingly begged Ned for hints about where they would be going, but he had refused, even when she’d offered to try and seduce him out of the information.

Nancy’s zipping up her suitcase when she hears the doorbell ring. She’s glad that her father is out on a date himself so that he can’t see the outfit she’s wearing.

\--

Try as he might, Ned can’t seem to keep his gaze off of Nancy. Her burgundy-slicked lips turn upwards as she hands the waitress her menu, and she takes a long sip of her red wine before turning back to him with a quizzical expression.

“So you still won’t tell me what else you have planned for tonight.” The way she says it, it’s more like a statement than a question.

Amused, Ned shakes his head. “Sorry, doll.”

“Doll?” she repeats with a light chuckle.

Ned shrugs. “Well, you look like one of those sexy dames from a Bogart movie, so it seemed fitting.”

He picks up his own wine glass and samples it, his eyes still drawn to the shadow of cleavage that her dress is emphasizing. He always finds her incredibly sexy, no matter what she’s wearing, but the dress she’s chosen for tonight is doing a particularly good job of showing off her fantastic body and long, gorgeous legs.

Nancy beams. “Thank you. But you haven’t distracted me, Ned. I still want to know what’s next.”

“How do you know there’s a next, Nan? After all, maybe this is the extent of our big night – dinner at a fancy restaurant before I take you back to your dad’s.”

“It is very fancy,” Nancy admits, dipping her head in acknowledgement. “But I know you better than that, Nickerson. There is no way in hell that you’d take out to a nice dinner and get me all liquored up without attempting to get me out of my clothes later on.”

He gives her a wolfish grin. “You think?”

“I know.” Nancy takes another sip of wine and regards him over the rim of her glass. “And the outfit I’ve picked to wear for you once you get me out of this dress is especially slutty, Ned. Just putting that out there.” She carefully places her wine glass back down on the table, the sound muffled by the thick tablecloth.

Despite his attempt to play things cool, Ned gives an audible swallow. “Thanks for letting me know, Nan.”

“Sure thing.”

“But you still can’t get me to tell you what’s next.”

Nancy gives him a playful pout as she picks up her menu. “Positive I can’t change your mind?”

He smirks. “Yes, but feel free to try your best, honey.”

Once they’ve finished their meals, the waitress brings them the thickly bound dessert menu. Nancy puts her hand over her flat stomach, laughingly protesting that she can’t possibly eat another bite. Ned carefully peruses the selection of cakes and mousses and fruit tarts before selecting a slice of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, making Nancy promise that she’ll at least take a taste.

Nancy has a forkful of the rich, creamy dessert halfway to her lips when Ned clears his throat.

“So, you were right when you guessed that I didn’t just have dinner planned for this evening.” She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say a word. “I got us a room at a nice hotel here in the city.”

She sits back in her chair, pleased. “Did you?”

“I did. I thought we’d enjoy the alone time – especially since Mike already called dibs on the apartment for the night and going back to your dad’s place wouldn’t be an option.”

“That was good thinking on your part.”

“I knew you’d agree.”

\--

Once the door’s closed behind them, Nancy slides her arms around Ned’s neck and pulls his head down for a long, passionate kiss. She thoroughly enjoyed their romantic dinner, but it’s very nice to be alone with him.

“This room is gorgeous, Ned,” she tells him once she breaks away. “And this hotel is very, very fancy – I’m sure tonight has been expensive.”

Ned smiles down at her, and she’s again struck by just how damn handsome he is. “It doesn’t matter, Nan – you’re worth it.”

She gives him another kiss and enjoys the feel of his hands making their way down her bare back to her ass.

“Before we get too carried away, I have a present for you.”

Nancy gives him a look of surprise. “Ned, you’ve already spoiled me – flowers, dinner, this hotel room…”

He waves away her protests. “I know, but you deserve it, baby.”

Ned leads her to the large king-sized bed in the center of the room and pats the mattress. When she settles down next to him, he reaches into his interior coat pocket and withdraws a small rectangular box wrapped in glossy red paper embossed with white Mylar hearts.

She gives him a look of curiosity before tearing into the paper; once the box is unwrapped, she lifts the lid and peers inside.

“Ned!” she gasps in surprise. She takes out the delicate silver Art Deco bracelet and holds it up so that the rectangular and triangle-shaped rhinestones dotting it gleam in the overhead light.

“Do you like it, Nan?”

“It’s gorgeous!” she breathes, transfixed by the sparkle of the gems. “Ned, it’s just beautiful!” She finally tears her gaze from the bracelet and fixes it onto his face. “But you shouldn’t have!’

He shrugs. “I wanted to. I went to the store to sell that book my mom found in the attic and happened to see the bracelet in the case. The woman who sold it to me told me that it came from an estate sale – it was made sometime in the late thirties by some famous costume jewelry designer.

“The owner was a C-movie actress from that era, and the bracelet was a gift from one of her older, wealthy suitors,” Ned continues. “She wore it to one of her movie premiers and apparently something weird happened to her that night – she chose never to wear it again.”

“It has a mystery attached?” Nancy squeals excitedly. The bracelet was already a wonderful gift, but knowing that it had a story behind it? It’s like the icing on her cake.

Ned laughs. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist. Yes, the woman at the store said that whatever happened that night caused the woman to stop acting permanently and settle down here in Chicago under a new name, never to be heard from again.”

“Wow,” Nancy breathes. She looks down at the bracelet again. “It wasn’t, like, murder or anything, was it?”

He chuckles again. “No, Miss Drew, sorry to disappoint. Just something that was enough to freak out the actress.”

“What happened to the guy who gave it to her?” Nancy can’t help but wonder aloud. “Did she take off with him?’

“Well – and this is all from the woman at the shop, so who even knows if it’s accurate or if she was just making things up – he was also a two-bit gangster that was about to stand trial for racketeering and other crimes. Just before he was about to go on the stand, someone shot him dead in the streets of Los Angeles. That’s probably why our actress disappeared.”

“Amazing,” she sighs. “And the woman at the store met the actress? Talked to her?”

“She did,” Ned confirms with a nod of his head. “The actress is in her nineties now and is selling her old things so she can move to a nursing home. When the saleswoman went to her house and examined the contents of the actress’s jewelry box, the bracelet had been the only thing the actress had held back. She’d been reluctant to sell it at all, but the saleswoman talked her into it. That’s why it was such a good price.” His lips twist in a wry grin.

“Oh, honey, I don’t care what it cost or didn’t cost,” Nancy reassures him. “It’s beautiful, and a very thoughtful gift. I absolutely love it – and the fact that it’s got a mystery tied to it is even better.” She fumbles with the clasp for a minute; when she still can’t get the bracelet on after a minute, Ned helps her to fasten it around her left wrist.

“Perfect,” she sighs, glancing down at her wrist in approval. “This has been a great night and this was a great present. Thank you so much, sweetheart. I love it, and I love you.”

“You’re very welcome – and I love you, too.”

She reaches up to cup her hand around his cheek and brings his face down to hers for a long, blistering kiss.

“Wow,” he whispers.

Nancy takes her left hand and brings it up to his face, kissing him again.

_She looks so damn hot in that dress. I can’t wait to get her out of it so we can fuck._

Startled, Nancy abruptly pulls back.

“What is it?” Ned asks, puzzled. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Nancy shakes her head. “Nothing. I must have had too much wine.”

He grins. “Drunk and sexy – my favorite combination for you, Drew.”

She lightly swats at his shoulder. “You are terrible.”

“I seem to remember you mentioning something about some slutty lingerie when we were at dinner,” Ned reminds her.

“Mmm, and since you’ve been a very good boy tonight, I suppose I can reward you. Let me slip into the bathroom and change.”

Nancy pulls away and disappears into the bathroom with her overnight bag. She’s thrilled to discover that it has a sunken Jacuzzi tub, which will be fun later. The last time that she and Ned shared a hotel room, they’d lingered for hours in the steamy hot jets of their bathtub, sharing some delicious foreplay before going to bed.

As she puts on her lingerie, Nancy can’t help but think about voice she’d heard in her head while she’d been kissing Ned. It had to be her imagination, she decides. _The idea of a mystery, any mystery, has your brain working overtime, Drew,_ she scolds herself.

He takes her by the hand and leads her up to his bedroom, where her overnight bag is resting on his bed.

\--

When she emerges from the bathroom, her hair loose around her shoulders, wearing a completely sheer red lace chemise with cutouts around her breasts are and a matching thong that places a red heart over the join of her thighs, Ned gives her a wide grin.

“You weren’t lying, Nan – that’s mighty slutty.”

“I told the saleswoman that my boyfriend loves to see me in tiny lingerie and she picked this out.”

“She definitely earned her commission, Nan. Come here, gorgeous.”

She straddles his hips and moans as his large, warm hands cup her virtually bare ass.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she whispers, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her left hand toys with the dark hair at the nape.

_Jesus, she looks fucking incredible. Look at the way her tits are out and how her pussy’s barely covered._

__

The sound of Ned’s voice in her head is just as astonishing as it was when she heard it before she’d changed clothes; this time, she’s also hit by a huge wave of arousal. Nancy yanks her hand out of his hair and pulls back.

“Baby, what is it?”

Nancy shakes her head. “I really must be imagining things.”

“What? Tell me, Nan.”

“It’s nothing, I’m sure.” She gives him a smile.

Nancy puts her hands back into his hair and resumes kissing him.

_Mmm, she feels good. I’m already hard as fuck – it’s gonna be tough not to just come._

__

“Ned?” she asks, astounded. She has to be imagining things: his voice, the gush of arousal between her thighs…

“What? Honey, you’re acting very strangely tonight.”

“Ned, do you hear something?”

“No?” The look on his face is one of puzzlement.

She debates whether or not to tell him, but decides to refrain, because he’ll surely think that she’s delusional.   
  


“Forget it. Just keep kissing me, Mr. Nickerson.” Nancy nips at his bottom lip, wiggling her hips against his.

“You don’t have to convince me,” he replies, gripping her ass again.

_I love it when she’s slightly buzzed and nearly naked. I wonder if she’ll let me try anal again tonight – if I can talk her into it._

__

There was no mistaking that, Nancy tells herself, pushing her flattened palm against his chest, pushing him away. “Ned!”

_What the fuck is going on?_ she hears just before she gets off of his lap and springs to her feet.

“Wha- what?” he stammers aloud, looking confused. “Nan, baby, what is it? Are you not in the mood tonight? Did you change your mind? What is going _on_ with you?”

__

“No,” she replies firmly. “I didn’t change my mind, but the better question is ‘ _What is going on with_ you _, Nickerson?’”_

__

“What do you mean, Nan?”

“Ned, were you really going to try and get me to have anal with you again tonight? On Valentine’s Day, no less?”

He looks so genuinely startled that she can’t help but almost feel sorry for him. “What are you talking about, baby?”

“Were you or were you not calculating in your head whether you could get it into my ass tonight? Don’t you lie to me, either.”   
  


“Nan, I… What the hell?” he sputters. “How… What… What?”

“Look, don’t ask me how I know, but I do, okay?”

“Baby, I’m sorry.” He’s immediately contrite. “You know that if you weren’t into it, I wouldn’t have pushed. As long as I can have sex with you, I’m happy to do it however you want. I promise.”

The hangdog look on his face makes her take pity on him. After all, it’s Valentine’s Day, and he’s gone to all of this trouble to make her evening special, she reminds herself.

“Ned, I know, and _I’m_ sorry. Come on, we have this beautiful room all night, we’ve had such a romantic date…let’s make love.” She crawls back onto his lap and kisses him again, glad when she feels him relax against her as her arms steal around his neck.

_Don’t know what that was, but I’m glad it’s over. How the hell did she_ know?

__

Nancy breaks off their kiss once more, despite Ned’s groans. “Ned, I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“Well, the way you keep stopping and starting is causing me to lose mine,” he grumbles.

“I can’t explain it, but…Ned, I hear your voice in my head.” She sits down next to him on the bed, careful not to have her thigh touch his.

“What?” He turns and gives her a look of disbelief.

“I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. When you’re kissing me and you have your hands on me, I can _hear_ you.”   
  


“Baby, are you sure it’s me?”

“Yes, Ned, I’m sure! It’s your voice, in my head, plain as day. We’ve been together long enough by now for me to know your voice as well as my own.”

“And what am I saying?”

“Well, besides the fact that you thought you’d try to ask for anal, you wondered how long you’d be able to stay hard. You also liked the fact that my lingerie shows off my…tits and my pussy.” Nancy usually doesn’t mind talking dirty with him in the heat of the moment, but saying those words aloud when they’re not rolling around in the sheets is a little embarrassing.

Ned’s face is as red as hers is. “Shit,” he whispers. “Nan, how the fuck?”

“I don’t know!” she exclaims. “All I know is that I hear you saying stuff like that when we’re all over each other, and it’s freaking me out!”

“God,” he mutters. “And you can hear _everything_?”

She nods. “At least I think I can.”

“And it’s only when we’re…”

Nancy nods again. “Yes, when we’re in close contact.”

“Wow. Wow,” he repeats. “I just wonder if…”

“What?” she prompts him. “What do you wonder?”

“If it’s the bracelet.” She starts to laugh at the thought but stops when she sees he’s completely serious. “Nan, I know it sounds crazy, but it only started after you put on the bracelet, right?”

“Ned, it’s just a bracelet. Now who’s injecting mystery into everything?” she scoffs

“What else could it be? We’ve had sex hundreds of times over the last few years, and this never happened before, right?”

“No,” she admits. “It never has.”

“Then the only thing different about tonight is that bracelet.” He points to her wrist.

“Not unless you put something into my drink,” Nancy replies warily.

Ned rolls his eyes. “Yeah, so you’d rather believe that your boyfriend roofied you instead of believing that it’s the bracelet.”

She shrugs, embarrassed. “Sorry. I believe you, I do. I swear it, honey. But let’s prove it.”

“How?”

Nancy unsnaps the bracelet and takes it off, dangling it between her thumb and index finger. “Hold this.”   
  


He takes the bracelet from her outstretched hand and places it onto his palm. Nancy slides over so that their legs are touching and places her lips over his, taking his other hand and cupping it around her breast.

__

_Mmm, God, that’s good_ . _I love it when he has his hands all over me._ _I wonder if he can hear this._

Ned can recognize that purr from anywhere –it’s how his girlfriend sounds when they’re in the throes of foreplay or full-on fucking. His erection also feels harder than it was before, if that’s even possible.

“Shit,” he whispers, awed. “I just heard your thoughts, honey.” He takes his hand off of her body and is disappointed by the silence.

Nancy’s lashes flutter in disbelief. “No way.”

He nods vigorously. “I did. You just gave one of those sexy little moans because my hand around your ti- breast felt good,” he corrects himself quickly, “and you wondered if I was able to hear you.”

“Oh my God,” she whispers, astonished. “So it _is_ the bracelet!”

“It is,” he confirms, still holding it on his flattened palm.

She gets up and begins to pace. “It’s acting almost like a…like a radio,” she finishes her sentence triumphantly. “The person who’s holding it or wearing it can tune in the thoughts of the person they’re touching.”

“But it doesn’t work that way with everyone,” Ned corrects her, setting the jewelry onto the nightstand. “When I was in the store, the saleswoman held the bracelet out to me and I know I touched her when she modeled it for me.”

Nancy stops short. “Okay, so it only works if you have a connection with the person you’re touching.”

“Yeah,” Ned agrees. “Because unless the saleswoman was beaming me the thought of _‘Buy the bracelet’,_ I didn’t pick up on anything from her. I swear it.”

She chuckles, warming to her theory. “So maybe it transmits brain waves if there are strong feelings between the one with the bracelet on their person and the one they’re touching.”

“That would make sense – as much sense as something crazy like this can, I guess,” he shrugs.

“Ned, I wonder if that was the reason that the actress stopped wearing it,” Nancy muses. “Maybe she heard something she didn’t like the night she put it on and hid it away forevermore.”

“It’s possible, I guess,” he allows. “What about you?”

Nancy blinks in surprise. “What about me?”

“Did you hear stuff you didn’t like?”

“Well, aside from the anal sex stuff…no,” she admits. “It was kind of hot to hear that stuff. Like dirty talk, only amplified.”

He grins. “Yeah, it was the same when I heard you, Miss Drew. And it was almost like…” his voice trails off.

“Come on, finish your thought, Ned – can’t be any weirder than what we’ve already talked about tonight,” she implores him.

“True,” he admits with a chuckle. “It was almost like I could feel you getting hot, Nan – and it made me extra turned-on.”

Nancy nods. “Yeah, I got the same vibe from you.”

“So what do we do?”

She blinks in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it was kind of hot – makes me wonder what it would be like if we fuck while we trade the bracelet back and forth.”

Nancy looks at him, deliberating. Part of her thinks it would be more than a little creepy to know that her boyfriend could hear her thoughts while they were having sex; the rest of her can’t help but remember the surge of heat she felt when his voice was in her head earlier.

Her curiosity wins out. “So, how would it work?”

Ned shrugs. “You could start off wearing the bracelet; after you get off, I could hold it when we’re ready to go another round.” His fingertip slides down her bare shoulder, causing a pleasant shiver to run down her spine. “What do you think?”   
  


“Are you going to censor your thoughts?” she can’t help but ask.

“Only if you want me to,” he readily responds. “I promise not to entertain the whole anal sex idea again – I swear.” She relaxes. “Did it freak you out when you heard the other stuff I was thinking?”

Nancy pauses, sitting down on the edge of the mattress. “No,” she finally admits. “I think the shock was more about hearing your thoughts in the first place. I sort of already had a feeling that your inner voice was a lot…” she searches for the right words, “less delicate than you’d have me believe.”

Instead of offending him, like she’s worried she’s done, Ned laughs. “Sorry, honey. You’re a very sexy woman – one that I’ve been in love with and in lust with for years. I can’t help but think that way about you. I don’t talk about you that way to my friends, though,” he points out quickly. “You’re my girl, and no one else had better think of you like that.”

“It was really kind of sexy to know _you_ think about me like that,” she confesses. “I mean, I know you like dirty talk, but I didn’t know you had that inner monologue going on in your head when we’re…”

“Going at it?” he smirks.

“Yeah,” she sighs.

“Do you want to try it?”

Nancy nods. “If it gets too weird or feels too invasive, tell me and I’ll take off the bracelet.”

Ned leans forward and kisses her slowly. “Promise you’ll do the same when it’s my turn.”

“I will,” she vows, cupping the back of his head in her hands.

“Then let me put it back on you so we can get started.” Ned reaches over to the nightstand and picks up the bracelet, clasping it around her slender wrist. His fingers delicately trace the stones as his thumb gently rubs against the bluish veins at the underside of her wrist.

_God, I love you, gorgeous. I love you so much, and I love being with you like this._

__

She pulls back and lightly taps her index finger against the tip of his nose in admonishment. “You’re controlling your thoughts.”  
  


“It’s true, though,” he points out.

“You’re sweet. And I love you, too.” She kisses him, lingering this time, and sighs as his hands make their way to her breasts.

_So fucking sexy. You look so damn sexy, Nan, and your…tits feel so good in my hands._

__

“I love when you touch them,” she murmurs against his mouth. “It makes me so wet.”

_What if I suck on them? Suck and lick and bite your pretty pink nipples until you moan?_

__

Nancy nods hypnotically, crawling over him to rest her head on the pillow and lie on her back. After he quickly sheds his clothing, leaving him gloriously naked, Ned keeps his hands on her skin as he settles down on top of her, his tongue sliding against hers. Her hand wearing the bracelet runs through his dark hair and settles on his back. He pulls his lips from hers with an audible pop and reaches down to yank the chemise over her head, leaving her in just her thong.

_You looked hot before, but now in just those little panties? Damn, Nan. Tell me why I can’t take pictures of you like this?_

__

Despite her incredible arousal, Nancy giggles. “Because you can’t.”

Ned grins at her. _Can’t blame a guy for trying._

He slides down her body, taking his time to kiss her jawline, her neck, the hollow of her throat, and her breastbone before sucking one already-tight nipple between his lips. Nancy whimpers as he continues to suck while rubbing his flattened palm against her other nipple.

_You like that, baby?_

__

‘”Yes,” she sighs. “Ned, I love when you play with them.”

__

_I love doing it, too. God, the first time you let me touch them and suck on them was incredible._

__

She smiles, remembering the first night she’d stayed in his room at Omega Chi during his freshman year at Emerson. After he’d removed her shirt and bra, she’d stopped him from taking off more of her clothes, but it had felt incredible to have his hands and mouth roaming her bare breasts.

“It was,” she now tells him softly. “And every time you’ve done it since has been great.”

He switches his hands and mouth and Nancy sighs, tilting her head back so that the crown of her head is against the pillow.

_Your brea-_

__

“Stop censoring yourself,” she admonishes him lightly, tugging at his hair. “Just let your thoughts go like you’d normally do when we have sex.”

He kisses the center of each of her breasts before resuming his sucking. _Fine, then. Your **tits** taste delicious and look gorgeous. Are you wet yet, sexy girl?_

__

Nancy opens her legs and takes one of his hands to skim the crotch of her thong. “Why don’t you see for yourself, sexy man?”

His fingertips slide under the edge of her underwear and Nancy can’t bite back a moan as they graze the hot, damp button between her legs.

_Your pussy feels good against my fingers, Nan. Wet and hot. Can I taste it?_

__

“Mmm, I’ve been thinking about you doing that since I saw your handsome face tonight,” she confesses.

He slides the red strings down her hips; once the underwear is at her ankles, Nancy kicks it off and over the side of the bed.

_A heart?_ Ned’s lips quirk upwards as he catches sight of the neatly trimmed hair above her pubic bone. _Holy fuck._

It had been a little more painful than usual for her to have her bikini waxer take the time to sculpt her pubic hair into the shape of a heart, but Bess had told her it would probably be worth it once Ned got a look at the finished product. From the look on his face now, it seems that Bess had been right.

“Well, it is Valentine’s Day,” Nancy reminds him with a teasing giggle. “I thought you’d enjoy it.”

_I sure do, beautiful. Sexy as hell. Now, spread those long, beautiful legs for me, Nan, so I can eat out that sweet, juicy pussy._

__

“God, I love it when you do this,” she pants as the tip of his tongue traces her already-sensitive clit. She was already turned on, but some of the heat that’s coursing through her body is likely coming from him, too.

_Jesus, your pussy tastes like fucking honey._ He uses firmer strokes to lick at her, and Nancy writhes with pleasure. _Sweet, like warm honey._

“Oh my God,” she gasps as he actually takes her clit between his teeth and bites down gently.

_Tell me how you like this. Tell me exactly how it feels to have your man go down on you. we’re all alone, baby – no friends or family nearby to walk in on us._

__

“Fuck, it’s good.” Her voice comes out in a stuttering cry. “Your mouth on me feels so fucking good. Please don’t stop until I come.”

_Can I make you scream when you do? Can you come so hard for me that you actually scream?_

__

“I wish you would,” she moans, opening her legs wider.

His tongue continues to stroke at her in maddeningly slow circles and she feels like she might actually lose her mind from the unbelievable pleasure he’s giving her. Nancy’s just on the brink of what she knows will be an incredible orgasm and she can’t wait. She grabs his head and holds it in place so he can’t stop fucking her with his tongue.

_You really like this, huh?_ She can hear the chuckle in his voice. _I’m not stopping until you scream – I already told you, Nan._

__

He shifts his chin so that the stubble rubs against her clit, and Nancy actually shrieks.

_That’s right, baby. Let me hear how much you like it. I love having your pussy juice all over my mouth, tasting you._

__

“Oh my God,” she gasps. “Yes!”

_Say my name, gorgeous. When you come, say my name._

__

After his chin strokes over her a few more times, Nancy feels her climax explode. “Ned,” she says, her voice tremulous, “oh God, Ned!” His name turns into a scream as she rides out her orgasm.

When she’s done, Nancy collapses to the mattress, closing her eyes and panting to get control of her breathing. She quickly snatches back the arm with the bracelet from off of Ned’s body. It’s like she’s overwhelmed by the feeling of arousal that’s still racing through him; she feels exhausted and overstimulated.

“You okay, baby?” It’s the first time he’s spoken aloud since they started, and Nancy can’t muster up the energy or strength to open her eyes and look at him.

“Yeah,” she wheezes. “That was just…”

“Amazing? Life-changing?” Nancy can hear the humor in his voice.

She delivers a half-hearted swat to his shoulder. “Yes, braggart.”

She feels the mattress give way as Ned settles down beside her. “When do you think you’ll be ready to…?”

“To fuck?” Nancy finishes his sentence. “Give me a few, honey. You kind of wore me out there.”

“Okay,” he sighs disappointedly. “But just remember that half of that crazy, turned-on feeling you had was coming from me – and I didn’t get to finish.”

She chuckles. “I hear you. Just let me relax a minute, please.”

His body shifts towards hers and he jostles the arm wearing the bracelet. It’s like she’s been infused with a drug: instantly, her heart starts beating faster and the hollow between her thighs begins pulsing in answer to his touch.

“Shit, Ned,” Nancy groans, sliding away from him. “If you want me to recover enough for another round, you need to stay away from me for a minute.”

“Sorry,” he whispers. “Did you hate it?” he asks a moment later.

She opens her eyes for the first time, taking in the anxious look on his face. Nancy takes one of her fingertips and delicately traces it over his lips. “No, honey – not at all. It was really erotic and intense – so much so that I feel like my nerve endings need to settle down a little. I definitely want to know what it’s like to make love with you like that – I just need a little downtime first.”

Ned kisses her gently before pulling away. “I can do that.”

Nancy unsnaps the bracelet and puts it onto the nightstand. “This’ll help.” She rolls towards him and kisses the hollow of his throat. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They kiss deeply, lazily for a while, and Nancy throws her leg over his hip. Their close proximity allows her to feel his erection bobbing up against her, and even without benefit of the bracelet she knows that it must be driving him crazy to stay like that.

She takes her lips off of his. “I’m going to put the bracelet back on so you can fuck me.”

Ned grins. “Are you sure you’re ready, baby?”

Nancy kisses him again, lingering this time. “Oh, yes. I want you so badly.” Her hand strays down to cup his hard-on in her palm. “And I know you want me.”

He reaches over to the nightstand and fastens the jewelry around her wrist once more, keeping her hand in his as his tongue grazes hers. _Now you know for sure how much I want you, Nan._

__

Immediately, a warm flush runs through her. The hollow between her thighs had already been responding to his kisses; now it’s positively aching for him.

“How do you want to do this?” she whispers, running her hand over his bare ass to pull him closer.

Ned crawls on top of her in answer, his erection firm and hot against her stomach. _Foreplay?_

__

“A little,” she tells him, her eyes sparkling as she slides her hand down his back. “You’re not getting out of it that easily, Nickerson.

His head dips down, his lips tracing the hollow of her throat before he closes them around one nipple. At the same time, his fingertip probes between her legs to tease her clit. She moans as his hands work over her body.

_Nice and wet for me again. I can’t wait to feel that hot pussy around my cock, honey._

__

Nancy opens her legs for him, curling her fingertips around his shoulder. ”So let’s not wait any more, honey. Get inside of me.”

No sooner do the words come out of her mouth before Ned plunges his entire length into her in one smooth stroke. She’s already been dripping wet but now she’s feels like she’s so naturally lubricated that it’s positively leaking out of her. _God, you feel so fucking good, Nan._

__

“So do you, Ned,” she gasps as he pulls out and drives into her again. “Oh fuck!”

_Honey, you’re fucking soaked._ She can sense the wonderment in his words even without him speaking them. _You didn’t come yet, did you?_

__

“No,” she pants. “Not yet. I was already hot but your dick is making me even wetter.”

He grips her thighs and opens her even wider just before thrusting once more. _You are sexy as fuck, do you know that, honey? Naked and writhing and moaning underneath me while I’m fucking your brains out? So fucking hot, baby._

__

“Mmm,” she whimpers in response. “Don’t stop fucking my brains out! This feels amazing!”

_Do you need me to play with your clit in order for you to come?_

__

Honestly, Nancy thinks she’s probably turned on enough just to come from the penetration, but if he touches her clit also, she’ll probably have another killer orgasm. “Not sure, but do it, please?” she begs.

Her hips buck to meet his. _You looked so fucking gorgeous tonight, baby. That dress, and those shoes, and your body…it’s amazing I made it through dinner without ripping your clothes off and fucking you in the bathroom of the restaurant. And that lingerie – holy shit, baby._

__

“I’m glad you liked all of it,” she manages to get out as his fingers dip into the space between her thighs. “I picked everything out just for you.”

_It was like a fucking fantasy come to life – smoking hot little redhead in a skintight dress who then stripped down to slutty lingerie. I have no idea how I haven’t come fifty times already tonight._

__

Her smile turns into a lusty moan as he drives into her once more. “You have amazing self-control, Nickerson.”

_Damn right I do – the fact that we went out for so many years before you let me fuck you is proof of that, Drew._ He grunts as he works himself in and out of her quick, staccato thrusts.

Nancy mashes her lips against his, kissing him fiercely. “So good,” she cries out when she pulls her mouth from his.

His fingertips continue to stroke her clit and she can hear the headboard ramming into the wall with each of his thrusts. _Please, please tell me you’re close, Nan. I’m dying here._

__

She bites her lip, concentrating on the sensations of his body inside of hers, deliberately tightening her inner flesh around him. Her fingertips are digging into his back and she’s got her legs wrapped around his waist as they fuck. “God, yes,” she whimpers. “This is so damn good.”

The bracelet is still channeling his desire, too, because she’s hit with another wave of it as he drives into her. She’s so aroused that it’s almost painful and she has to let go – her body won’t be able to stand much more, especially after her first orgasm.

“Fuck, yes,” she shrieks. “Oh God, yes!” Her orgasm roars through her and Nancy feels like she’s been hit by a fucking freight train. Her hips still buck wildly against his; while she’s beyond exhausted, she finds that she can’t stop.

Finally, he comes with a long, deep thrust and a loud grunt and the weight of his body collapses on top of hers. Neither of them can move for several minutes; somehow Nancy finds the strength to run her palms over his bare, sweaty back, smiling when his lips graze the side of neck. Even that small action, though, sets off her hormones again, and she hastily undoes the bracelet, tossing it lightly onto the nightstand.

“You okay?” Ned whispers, kissing the side of her face this time.

Nancy nods, craning her neck to plant a kiss on his lips. “You’ve worn me out, handsome.”

“Then let’s take another break so we can screw again – after all, we have this room all night and I think it’s my turn for the bracelet next.”

She laughs at that, curling deeper into his side. His cupped palm strokes her arms as he draws her close and Nancy can’t help but think about how nice it is to be with the man she loves like this. He’s talked a few times about them living together; while she knows that he’s the one she wants to be with forever, Nancy still has to admit that she likes her freedom and independence too much to be ready for cohabitation just yet.

__

“Oooh, before I forget, I have a gift for you, too,” Nancy tells him, getting out of bed. She’s amused how he can’t seem to keep his eyes off of her naked body as she goes to her overnight bag and rifles through its contents.

She pads back to the bed and crawls between the covers, brandishing a flat package wrapped in silver-and-black patterned paper.

“Baby, you didn’t have to get me anything,” he tells her as he takes the box from her.

“Of course I did,” she shrugs. “It’s Valentine’s Day and you’re my valentine, so…”

He leans over and gives her a quick kiss on the lips before tearing into the paper. A delighted grin crosses his face as he takes out the two gift cards and the various color brochures she’s tucked inside the box.

“I thought it would be nice for us to take a long weekend together,” Nancy offers. “Somewhere fun and romantic - like New York, or Vegas, or a ski trip, or a resort someplace sunny and warm.”

She nods towards the brochures. “Your choice of where – your plane ticket and the hotel are on me.” She points towards the gift cards. “And I promise now that I won’t drag you into some case while we’re there.”

Ned laughs. “Nan, alone time with you is the best gift of all. I love it, and I love you.”

They kiss again. “I’m so happy that you like it, honey.”

“I already can’t wait to go, but you’ve given me a terrible dilemma.” He puts on a serious face.

“What?” she asks warily.

“Should I pick somewhere cold, where we can spend our nights by the fire, snuggling and screwing under thick comforters? Or should I pick a warm place, where I get to watch you in tiny little bikinis for a few days before we come back to our hotel room to screw between cool sheets? Choices…” He lets out an exaggerated sigh.

Nancy giggles. “That’s all on you, sweetheart – both of them sound really good to me.”

“Let me weigh the pros and cons before I give you my decision.”

“Completely up to you. Wherever we go, I promise to bring more lingerie like this.”

Ned’s eyes light up. “Excellent.”

His fingertips idly trail up and down her spine, and Nancy can’t help but shiver at the feel of his hands on her bare skin. She reaches over and plucks the bracelet from the nightstand, dropping it into his open palm.

“Ready?” she asks teasingly, the side of her hand grazing his again-erect cock.

_God, I can’t believe he’s already ready to go,_ she silently marvels.

__

He laughs heartily. “I’m in bed with my sexy, naked girlfriend. Doesn’t take a lot to get me hard, baby.”

She laughs, too, before looking into his eyes. _So, what do you want?_

__

“I know it’s Valentine’s Day and all,” he drawls, “and tonight has been all about you, but…”

_Blow job._ She finishes his sentence without speaking, and Ned gives her a sheepish grin.

“It’s your own damn fault for being so good at giving them, Nan,” he defends himself mildly.

_Sure, uh huh,_ she teases him silently. _And how hard did my boyfriend work at training me so I’d know what he likes?_

__

”To be fair, you’ve shown me what _you_ like for oral. Can you blame me for doing the same?”

Nancy shakes her head, suppressing a sigh. While she loves her boyfriend very much and loves being physically intimate with him, going down on Ned has never been one of her favorite things to do when they’re naked. She’s honestly only tolerated it because he enjoys it so much – and she’s not sure how she’ll be able to hide her distaste for the act tonight.

She takes her hand off of the one that he’s using to hold the bracelet so he can’t read her thoughts, but Ned’s quicker. “Uh uh, baby,” he informs her, putting her palm back on him. “You got to hear my thoughts when I was dining at the Y...”

Nancy laughs, despite her discomfort. “So I did.” That’s the difference, though – _he_ genuinely likes giving her oral pleasure. She takes a deep breath, willing herself to only have good thoughts about what she’s about to do.

When the tip of her tongue grazes the tip of his erection, Nancy forces herself to moan internally. _Mmmm, so good._

__

Ned grins, shifting so that she has to take more of him inside of her mouth. _I love you._ _Ned, I love you so much._

__

“I love you too, baby,” he murmurs. “Can you go deeper?”

She gives him a smile, steeling herself. Not even _she’s_ good enough at holding in her emotions, Nancy realizes, and she again moves so that the hand that’s holding the bracelet isn’t in contact with her skin. Only then does she suck him all the way in, so deeply that his balls come into contact with her chin. This way, she can block him from feeling the nausea that’s rising in her stomach and her displeasure at conducting the act.

The look on Ned’s face makes Nancy think he’s onto her. “Nan, the way you keep pulling away, preventing me from hearing your thoughts while you’re going down on me….How much do you hate doing this?”

Nancy sighs, deliberating whether she should confess. He puts the hand holding the bracelet on her bare arm. _Be honest with him! You love him, so just tell him the truth!_

__

“You know you’re right,” Ned prods her gently. “Just tell me, honey.”

She’s not sure if she should speak the words aloud or think them so he can hear her. Not wanting to be a coward, she speaks. “I love you and I love making you happy.” This is the truth, so Nancy immediately feels more comfortable starting her confession like this.

“But… Ned, I’m sorry. I know you like giving me oral, but I just don’t love doing it to you. Like I said, the best part for me is knowing how much you enjoy it: giving you pleasure and getting that reaction out of you is hot. The act itself…” Nancy’s cheeks are burning by now. “I’m sorry, but it’s kind of gross to me.”

He looks disappointed, but not angry, to Nancy’s great relief. “Is there something we can do or try to make it less gross? I don’t ever want to force you into doing something you don’t want to, but can you think of something? Did you like it better when we used condoms when we first started having sex?”

Nancy must not be very good at hiding the look of distaste that she knows must be all over her face because he pats her knee. “No?”

The condoms had been even worse for her, she remembers - despite the flavors they were supposed to have, they had all tasted chalky and, well, rubbery. “Ned, I don’t want to stop doing it for you because you like it so much. Maybe we can do some research to see if there’s anything else we can try.”

“Baby, are you sure?”

She nods firmly. “I love you and you love… _that,_ so there has to be a way.”

“And every time you’ve done it for me, you’ve hated it?”

Nancy can’t stand the crestfallen look on his face, knowing she’s the reason it’s there. She reaches out to pat his knee. “No – I’ve enjoyed giving you something you like. It’s the truth. Now, you’ve planned this super-romantic evening for us, and I’ve managed to mess it up. Ned, I’m so sorry. I can still do it for you. Come here.”

She beckons for him to come closer so she can attempt to go down on him again, but Ned shakes his head. “No. No offense, Nan, but the idea that you sucking me off makes you sick doesn’t really get me hot.”

“Stop that,” she scolds him lightly. “That’s not what I said. And I told you that the fact you enjoy it so much makes it better for me.” Nancy’s starting to regret ever sharing with Ned the magical powers the bracelet seems to have – if she hadn’t told him, he would never have found out how much she dislikes blow jobs.

“You know, I get the distinct impression that you’re a little sorry you ever told me about the thought waves from the bracelet.” Ned’s lips curve up in a grin, and Nancy feels her cheeks flush.

“Stop that,” she repeats, but even she can hear her voice falter.

“Bracelet or no bracelet, you forget how well I know you.” He takes the hand holding the bracelet and uses one of the fingers to tweak the end of her nose. Instead of feeling irritation emanating from him, Nancy can only feel a rush of affection, which warms her.

“I love you, Nickerson.”

He gives her a gentle kiss. “I love you too, Drew. Now, let’s just fuck – unless you hate that, too.”

She has to laugh at his mock hangdog expression. “Trust me, I do not hate fucking my handsome, sexy boyfriend. Not now, not ever.”

\--

Ned looks across the mattress at the woman that he’s loved since he first laid eyes on her years earlier, and he again can’t help but marvel that she’s sharing this – her body, the overall intimacy, all of it - with him. She’s normally so reserved out in public that he loves it when she completely lets go when they’re in bed together. He loves knowing that he’s the only one who’s ever seen her like this.

Ned can’t lie to himself; he’s incredibly disappointed that Nancy doesn’t love going down on him the way he does with her. He’s glad she didn’t try to cover up her feelings, though, or keep trying to deny them. He makes himself even more resigned to finding a way for her to enjoy it more, because when her tight little mouth is sucking him in… He shivers just thinking about it, the hand with the bracelet coming into contact with her back.

_What’s up?_ The sound of her voice in his head cuts through his thoughts.

He laughs. “Why do you ask?”

_Because you just shivered._ Her blue eyes glint with humor.

“Well, I was thinking about how good it feels to fuck my sexy little girlfriend.”

One of her hands reaches down to stroke his already-massive erection and Ned feels himself get even harder. His balls actually tighten when she kisses the side of his neck.

_Do you want to be on top again, or do you want it to be me?_ Nancy kisses her way down his neck and lets her lips close around one of his nipples.

“You, gorgeous. I love watching you riding me.”

She climbs on top of him and he can hear her moan in his head as he reaches out and grabs for one of her bare breasts. He’s already turned on; thanks to the bracelet, her arousal is feeding into his.

Nancy opens her legs a little wider and he has to bite back a gasp when her hand encircles his erection so she can guide him inside of her.

_Yeah, that’s it._ Her sigh and words of pleasure are so clear that he looks at her face, still startled that he can hear her without her having to open her mouth. _Ned, that feels so good._

__

“It does, baby,” he groans as she squeezes around him. She’s already so wet and hot that having her tighten up around him makes this feel even better than it normally would.

She straightens her spine and tosses her hair back as she begins to slide up and down his cock. _Oooh, that’s right._

__

Ned’s hips rise up from the mattress to meet her thrusts. “Baby, you look so sexy like this.”

_God, this feels so good, but I think it would be even better if you were on top, driving into me._

__

He grasps her hips and lightly tosses her onto her back, earning himself a squeal as her gorgeous reddish-blonde hair fans out onto the pillow. The sight of her like this, spread out underneath him, is so damn sexy that Ned has to remind himself it’s not a wet dream. “Remember, I can hear you, Nan.”

She giggles as his lips nip down her neck; her laughter ends in a groan as he sucks on her nipples. He pushes himself inside of her, nudging her knees apart even wider. Ned begins to thrust, hard.

_God, you feel so good inside me_ . Her nails claw into his shoulder blades. _So big and hard. I feel full, like in the best way possible. The first time we fucked, I thought I was so stretched out that I’d never be able to close my legs again._

Her dirty talk in his head makes Ned feel like he’s in a porn movie – and he loves it.

_I want you to go down on me again – all throughout dinner, I couldn’t stop thinking about sitting on your face. And I know what I said before, but I want to do it for you, too - suck you off until you’re pulling at my hair and hear you beg to finish in my mouth._

__

“You’d better stop, Nan – otherwise, I’ll make you do that,” he warns her aloud.

_That’s okay. You make me feel so good when we do this that I don’t care – I’ll do whatever you want._

__

He increases the speed of his thrusts, going even deeper inside of her, and he’s rewarded with a loud, lusty moan from Nancy’s mind.

_Oh, yeah. That’s it. Nice and deep._

__

Ned reaches down and begins to stroke her clit, using his lips to suck at one of her already-tight nipples.

_Oh, fuck. That feels so fucking good!_

“Baby, you feel so tight and good,” he pants out, the hand holding the bracelet resting against the side of her neck. He’d already been beyond turned on, but feeling the arousal pumping out of her is only fueling his fire.

Nancy’s legs spread even wider. _That’s it, baby,_ she urges him on.

The sides of Ned’s fingers rub at her clit, and he can hear her scream in his head. _Oh, yes! That’s it! Baby, I’m coming so hard right now! Don’t stop!_

__

He’s going so fast now, the bed is literally shaking from his thrusts. Nancy’s lips form an ‘o’, and her silent shrieks get him there – Ned comes inside of her with a huge gush.

After a few more thrusts, he slows his movements, eventually slipping out of her and crashing onto his side.

Nancy throws her leg around his and intertwines her fingers into the hand that he’s using to hold the bracelet.

_This has been an unbelievable Valentine’s Day_ . He can hear the smile in her voice.

Now, neither of them has to use words to communicate. _That’s a good way to describe it, honey._ Ned uses his free hand to rub her bare back. __

__

_Thank you for spoiling me – with dinner, with this hotel room, with that gorgeous bracelet, with the ridiculously hot sex…_ They both laugh.

_Well, since the rest of it led to the ridiculously hot sex, I’m glad you liked it._

__

_Any time spent alone with you is wonderful, Ned._

__

The sincerity in her tone makes him grin. _I feel the same way about you, Nan._

__

She pulls away, speaking aloud for the first time in a long time. “I hate to break this up, but I’ll be right back.” She slips out of his arms and moves off of the bed.

Ned sighs with disappointment. “Hurry back, baby.”

“I will,” she smiles, disappearing into the bathroom.

\--

When she returns back to the bedroom, she has to laugh. Ned is still sprawled out in the same position she left him in a few minutes earlier.

“Couldn’t move, huh?” she teases.

“My hot little girlfriend really wore me out,” he teases back.

She pads to the bed and hands him a warm, damp washcloth. “Thought you could use this.”

“Thanks, baby.” Ned uses the cloth to clean himself up after their activities in bed and gently curls it around the edge of the wastebasket when he’s done.

Nancy slips back in between the sheets and snuggles into Ned’s side like she had before she’d gone to the bathroom, again slipping her hand into his. The stones of the bracelet are digging into her palm, but she liked being able to share that kind of telepathic connection with him, she has to admit.

They lay like that in comfortable silence for a while, her head resting on his strong shoulder. Ned’s other hand has again resumed stroking her back, and Nancy feels so content that she could purr.

_I want you to marry me, gorgeous._

__

At that, Nancy’s head pops up. _What?_

__

His eyes meet hers and deliberately hold her gaze. _I can’t think about my future without you in it, honey._

__

_I love you and I can’t think about my future without you in it, either, but…we’re very young._

_We are,_ he agrees with a dip of his head. _And it doesn’t have to be tomorrow or next week, but someday._

__

_What’s brought this on?_ Nancy forces herself to breathe normally.

Ned kisses her gently. _The more I spend time with you, the more I want it to keep happening. I hate the idea of having to say goodbye to you tomorrow morning when we check out of the hotel._

__

_Are you sure you want to wait for me to be ready?_ Suddenly, she’s afraid that the honesty reflected in her thoughts will drive him away, and Nancy starts to panic.

_Baby, don’t panic. I told you that it doesn’t need to happen immediately, and I meant it._

_But by the time we’re, say, thirty?_

__

Nancy nods, immensely relieved. _Thirty is good. There’s no one else for me, Nickerson – that’s not it at all._

__

Ned smiles at her, kissing the tip of her nose. _You’re the only girl for me, Drew. If I have to wait a few years to make you mine forever, I can live with that._

__

_It’ll be more than a few years,_ she can’t help but remind him.

_That’s okay. But can we maybe think about moving in together next year? After all, the lease on my apartment will be up in December, and I’m sure that Mike’s gonna propose to Jan by then, so I’ll need to find a roommate…_ He leaves the sentence unfinished.

_And you don’t want to live with another former frat brother?_ She teases, stalling for time so she can calm her racing thoughts.

_They don’t look as good naked as a certain redhead I know,_ he teases back, tweaking her nipple.

She’s glad that he’s also decided to keep things light. _Can I think about it? Is… is that okay?_

He leans forward so that the tips of their noses are touching and his brown eyes are looking directly into her blue ones. _I love you so much, gorgeous. There could never be anyone else for me except you. Nothing could change that. I told you – if you need more time…_

__

The intensity of his feelings causes Nancy to shiver. _Thank you. I love you, too._ Her lips turn up in a smile as her free hand comes up to stroke his dark hair.

_So, how soon before you hunt down the original owner of the bracelet?_

__

She laughs aloud, glad that Ned’s changed the subject. _What makes you think I’ll do that?_

__

_Because you’re Nancy Drew, the girl I love, and you forget how well I know you._

__

\--

Lillian Weaver – still has a figure like a bombshell,

Nancy carefully makes her way up the stone walkway, glad that she’s wearing her flat brown riding boots – heels would’ve made it terrible for her to navigate the ice and snow on the pavement.

The house must’ve been elegant at one time, but all she can notice now is the chipped, faded blue paint on the shutters and the crumbling stone steps leading up to the worn front door. It must be too much upkeep for an elderly lady, she thinks sympathetically.

She knocks on the door, glad when it’s answered promptly. It’s in the low thirties outside, and Nancy’s glad she doesn’t have to wait out in the cold for very long.

“Miss Weaver? Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me.”

“On time. I approve. So many people your age don’t give a fig about punctuality.” The petite, silver-haired woman greets her with a nod, accepting the gold tin of cookies that Nancy holds out to her and motions for Nancy to join her inside.

The first thing Nancy notices is that Lillian Weaver could still be described as a bombshell, even at her advanced age. She’s wearing a light green sweater and hunter green skirt, both of which show off her ample curves, a spiky pair of deep green heels, and her hair is curled elegantly around a heart-shaped face. Her appearance immediately makes Nancy think that this is what Bess will look like when she ages.

Nancy hangs her navy peacoat on the coat rack in the hallway and straightens her cream-colored knit sweater dress; the onceover that Lillian Weaver is currently giving her makes Nancy glad that she had decided to dress conservatively.

Nancy had been surprised when the actress had accepted her call and invited her to tea; she had figured that bringing a tin of Hannah’s hazelnut sandwich cookies, a layer of thick raspberry preserves between each, would help show her gratitude.

“You had been kind enough to invite me over; I didn’t want to be rude. I promise not to take up too much of your time.”

Lillian Weaver lets out a bark of laughter. “Dear, I have nothing but free time at this stage of my life. No more exciting engagements or hot dates for me; after all, I’m no longer a lovely young girl like you.”

Once they’ve settled down in the parlor with steaming Earl Gray in delicate yellow floral porcelain cups, Nancy settles back against the deep blue brocade couch cushions, impatient for Lillian to bring up the very reason she’s come to call.

Lillian doesn’t disappoint. “So, you want to know about the bracelet.”

Nancy eagerly pounces on the opening to the conversation. “Actually, I do. My boyfriend gave it to me for Valentine’s Day and something strange happened when I put it on.”

“Let me guess. You could hear his thoughts.”

Nancy has to hold back from bouncing up and down on the sofa cushions from her excitement. “Yes! It was the strangest thing!”

“When did it happen?”

“When we were touching.” She sanitizes the version of events for the older woman’s benefit.

“Touching, or _touching?”_ the woman asks impishly.

Nancy flushes. “When we were kissing and…”

“Being intimate?” Nancy nods, her cheeks still pink. “That’s exactly what happened to Buddy and me. That’s how I knew it was the bracelet!”   
  


Lillian takes another sip of tea and settles back against the sofa cushions. “I was involved with my Buddy and I hadn’t believed the rumors about him –until the night he’d given me the bracelet and I’d put it on. I was madly in love with him,” she recalls sadly. “Whenever I’d touched him, I could hear his thoughts – about the hits he’d put out, the lies he was about to tell on the witness stand when they brought him in….I could hear him think that he had some affection for me, but it didn’t match what I’d felt for him.”

Nancy feels a stab of pity for the older woman. “Hearing about all of his crimes… did you ever tell anyone about them?”

“No - never!” Lillian gasps. “I didn’t want to be implicated as a tattletale by Buddy’s crew. They would’ve made my life hell if they found out that I’d been the snitch – if they hadn’t tried to end my life entirely. Besides, Buddy was killed before I could even think about saying something.”

“And you never wore the bracelet after that night?” Nancy can’t help but ask.

“No.” The older woman shakes her head emphatically. “I never told anyone about it, either. They never would’ve believed me. After the night I… heard Buddy’s thoughts, I stuffed it into a drawer, knowing I could never put it on again. After all, how could I bear once more to hear the terrible things he’d done? It broke my heart.”

Nancy reaches over and hands Lillian a tissue from the box sitting on the coffee table. She accepts it with a grateful smile, wiping her eyes. “Thank you, dear. After I’d hidden away the bracelet, I got the terrible news that Buddy was murdered. Not that he didn’t deserve it,” she amends quickly, “but it destroyed me, all the same. I left my life in Los Angeles and my career – which wasn’t that wonderful to start with – and decided to come to the Midwest, not far from where my sister lived. I needed to get away from that life.”

“I don’t blame you,” Nancy sympathizes. She takes another sip of tea. “Forgive me for asking, but why did you sell the bracelet to the shop instead of throwing it out?”

Lillian smiles. “I thought about it a thousand times, but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was the last thing that Buddy gave me. And when I decided to sell my things so I can get into a retirement community, Mrs. King from the antiques store took one look at it and insisted. If you ever have to deal with her, let me warn you - she can be extremely persuasive.” Nancy laughs. “Since I had no business holding onto it any longer – and I can use the money, if we’re being honest – I gave in and let her buy it.”

“I’m glad you did,” Nancy admits shyly. “It was a beautiful gift from my boyfriend – and he was so proud of himself for having picked it out.”

“May I see it?”

Nancy nods and takes the bracelet out of her purse, handing it over to Lillian.

Lillian shakes her head, as if to clear it. “Buddy was the love of my life – I never got over him.” Her red-lipsticked lower lip trembles as her fingers graze the rhinestones. “I think that’s why the bracelet works the way it does. Tell me – is your boyfriend the love of your life?”

Nancy doesn’t even have to stop and consider before her head is nodding in response to Lillian’s question. Of all of the times she’s been asked to define her relationship with Ned and the level of her commitment to him, this question doesn’t give her doubt. “Yes. He is.”

Lillian leans in closer to Nancy, handing the bracelet back to her. “I don’t think the thought transmission process works if you’re touching someone who doesn’t mean that much to you.” Her lips turn downward. “But that damned bracelet let me see into Buddy’s heart – his cold, black heart. That changed me. Tell me, what did you hear when your boyfriend touched you?”

“The depth of the love he has for me - and the sincerity of his good, good heart,” Nancy replies immediately. “Things that I already knew about him, but were magnified by being about to hear his thoughts. His kindness, his generosity, his sweetness.”

“And how long have you been together?”

Nancy doesn’t know whether Lillian’s put some sort of truth serum into the Earl Gray, but she can’t hold back from answering the questions of a virtual stranger. “About six years. We met when we were in high school and we’ve both been attracted to other people from time to time, but we keep coming back to each other. There’s like a…”She struggles for the right words. “Like a magnet that pulls us together again each time.”

Lillian not-so-subtly looks down at Nancy’s bare left ring finger. “And you aren’t engaged to him after all of this time?”

Nancy laughs, not taking offense. “No – my choice, not his. If it were up to him, we’d already be married. I…I need more time before I settle down. It’s not a matter of whether I think he’s the one or not; it’s that I like my freedom.”

“And here I thought you were a smart girl,” Lillian chastises her lightly. “If you don’t take some sort of action to show him what he means to you, he may very well find someone else who is willing.”

“He won’t do that,” Nancy immediately reassures Lillian, but it doesn’t stop the ball of dread from forming in the pit of her stomach.

“You think so.” The older woman’s words are a statement, not a question. “Men like that don’t come along every day, my dear - trust me, I know.” She givesa wry smile. “You can’t just take him for granted and make him wait forever, despite what he’s told you. Otherwise, some other pretty redhead who _is_ ready to settle down could cross his path one day. And then, where will you be?”

\--

Nancy can’t help but replay Lillian’s words in her head as she opens her car door and settles down into the driver’s seat. She knows that Ned’s promised to wait for as long as she wants, but what the actress has told her has struck a sore spot. What if he finds another woman who doesn’t have her commitment issues? What if that’s enough to make him leave her – for good this time?

Nancy reaches into her purse and pulls out her phone. She knows that her hesitation has been mostly due to stubbornness, rather than a willingness to spend her life with him. She reminds herself that Ned’s never held her back when it comes to mysteries or detective work; instead, he’s been her willing partner.

“Why would that change if things change between us?” she asks aloud in the silence of her car. “Who says that our relationship won’t be even better than it is now – and it’s already damn amazing. Stop being an idiot, Nancy.”

Realizing that it’s still freezing outside, she puts the key into the ignition and waits a few seconds before turning on the heat full-blast. She puts her phone to her ear and dials a number, disappointed when she gets a voicemail message.

Once the message ends, she leaves one of her own. “Hi Ned, it’s Nan. I know it’s the middle of the week, but I was wondering if you could meet me for dinner at Dino’s tonight. I want to see your handsome face and talk to you.”

Nancy pauses for a moment, gathering up her courage. “Oh, and by the way, if you’re still in the market for a roommate in December, I’d love for it to be me. Call me back to let me know if you’re free tonight so we can talk about it some more. Love you, honey.”

She hangs up, a smile on her face, knowing that Ned’ll call her back the second he hears her message. As she pulls away from Lillian’s curb, Nancy’s already thinking about all of the stuff she’ll need to pack up from her father’s house when she takes Ned up on his offer.


End file.
